Establishment of Board of EthicsThere is hereby established a Board of Ethics consisting of five members to be appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Common Council; all of the members of the Board of Ethics shall reside in the City of Middletown. A majority of such members shall be persons other than officers or employees of the City of Middletown, but there shall be at least one member who is an elected or appointed officer or employee of the City.

The City's Corporation Counsel, or a City Attorney designated by him, shall be a member ex officio of such Board, but without the power to vote, and shall be the legal adviser to such Board.

Pursuant to the provisions of Â§ 806 of the General Municipal Law, the Common Council of the City of Middletown recognizes that there are rules of ethical conduct for public officers and employees which must be observed if a high degree of moral conduct is to be obtained and if public confidence is to be maintained in our unit of local government. It is the purpose of Chapter 48 of the City of Middletown Code to promulgate these rules of ethical conduct for officers and employees of the City of Middletown. These rules shall serve as a guide for official conduct of the officers and employees of the City of Middletown. The rules of ethical conduct of this Chapter 48 of the City of Middletown Code, as adopted, shall not conflict with, but shall be in addition to, any prohibition of Chapter 24, Article 18 of the General Municipal Law or any other general or special law relating to ethical conduct and interest in contracts of municipal officers and employees.

Powers of the Board of EthicsThe Board of Ethics shall have the powers and duties prescribed in Chapter 48 of the City of Middletown Code and in Article 18 of the General Municipal Law and shall render advisory opinions to officers and employees of the City of Middletown with respect to Article 18 of the General Municipal Law and any Code of Ethics adopted pursuant to such article under such rules and regulations as the Board may prescribe; in addition, the Board may make recommendations with respect to the drafting and adoption of amendments, or the drafting and adoption of a new Code of Ethics, upon request of the Common Council of the City.